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“I can’t clean up. My boss needs me to finish this.”

Those words came from my youngest son when he was four. He had an invisible boss who “made” him do all sorts of tasks.

It was cute to watch him working at his lap desk, coloring his picture. Well, cute until his boss became an excuse to skip his chores.

Years later, I still remember that boss. And sometimes I wonder if I have one, too. Someone who keeps adding tasks and insisting they all need to be finished.

Okay, maybe the invisible boss is me.

By the last quarter, does your to-do list feel longer than Santa’s? Unfinished goals, work deadlines, family plans, and holiday activities all seem to land on the same list.

Three things can make this quarter feel different:

1. Unfinished goals start calling for attention. The goals you set in January suddenly feel urgent, even if your priorities have changed.
2. More activities compete for your time. What looks manageable on a list may not fit alongside celebrations, commitments, and everyday work.
3. It can feel easier to give up. When you can’t see how to do everything, it’s tempting to stop trying. But a smaller goal can still be worth finishing.

Before you add another task, pause.

Ask yourself: What do I want to accomplish, and what do I want to have room to enjoy before the year ends?

Choose one to three priorities. Then look at your list and decide what you can:

• Defer: Move to next year.
• Delete: Take off the list.
• Delegate: Ask someone else to handle.
• Downsize: Make smaller so it fits the time and energy you have.

Try it now with one task. Does it need to stay as it is, or could one of those four options help?

Your invisible boss may keep adding things. You still get to decide what belongs on the list.

Terrie

P.S. Want help choosing what to finish and making a plan that fits? Save $500 on a six-week coaching package designed to help you make progress on what matters and leave room to enjoy the season.